The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1887-07-09
THOSE FLAGS.
JEFF. Davis Talks liz Regard 30 Ih"
Return OF Them.

& EBALTIMoRE, June SO.-The sun has
the following from jefferson Davis, III
reference to the return OF the southern
battle flags:
''If the object now be 10 unite the
people of the north and south as broth
ers in the Union, as n means to that eud
every sign of the past conflict
should, as far as practicable, be obiIrr-
ated. TO retain as p,ant OF prlie
a flag captured in battle by either The
union or confederate soldiers would be
equivalent to renewed exu!latiou Of
triumph by one or the other, and sure
ly not step toward the restoration oi
peace. Flags captured from Il foreign
enemy may be retained as trophies
after peace, but here a cessation OF
hOstilities is not pretended to be the
equivalent to fratcrUzation. | have
heard of various instances in which
southern soldiers, having retained
captured flags in battle, did, after the
war, send them back to the organiZa-
ton from which they were captured,
and L have heard of no instance where
such trophy has been tisplayed at Il re-
union OF southern soldiers to manifest
their success in battle over their
northern brethren. Our men fought
for principle, and that they have not
surrendered, but rather hopelessly
lived to see the. good sense of The north
ern men revert to the teachings OF their
sires and re-establish the governments
according 10 the constitution on which
1t was founded. That is ouly the VIC
tory which would be TO them and their
children, thing to be preserved and
glorlhed. When the federal govern.
ment evacuated Richmond many flags
captured in battle were deposited III
the war Office in Richmond So far a.
l knew they were all left there and
found by the United States troops
when they entered the city. This
would at least show proof OF the fact
that the south did not wish to treasure
p>such evidence of army iriumphs il
ever had over the north. When Wash
lngton received the surrender of Corn
wallis. at Yorktown, he required the
British colOrs to be delivered to him.
The United States government present
ed those cOlors to George Washington,
and Park Custls, to whom they were
entrusted, turned them over TO me
when l was secretary OF war, and they
we're left i'll the war Office at
Washington. Although these are
foreign flags and signs of a very mem
orable occasion, the United States gov
ernment did not deem them of sufficient
Importance to be exhibited as trophies
of victory over u former enemy, but
presented them to the soldier to whom
they had been surrendered. The south
has manifested no desire to have pos
session of the flags lost in battle, and
their value departed when they were
and the excitement which
has been created over the prop ,sition
to return both to the north and south.
the flags they had lost, seems very
much like a tempest in tea pot.
whether they should lie and be COLI
sumed by the moth in boxes in the war
office, or be returned TO their iocmer
owners matters not. The proposition
to restore them has one element ofvalue.
which is that the restoration would be
u declaration such rs the old Romans
made, that there should be no triumph
for victory gained in civil war. So far
as it should express the feeling OF re-
stored fraternity it would be an
advance toward that condition which
all reasonable men will recognize as
desirable among those who are to live
together.